Brno and the region agreed with the state to support the construction of a hall for Kometa

Brno - Brno and the South Moravian Region have agreed with the state on its financial participation in the construction of a hall for the hockey team Kometa. The exact amount is not yet clear, but it is in the hundreds of millions of crowns, said the mayor Markéta Vaňková (ODS) to reporters today. The region and Brno should also contribute hundreds of millions. The multifunctional hall costing over one billion will be built at the exhibition grounds and is to have a capacity of 12,000 people. According to Vaňková, the city is considering establishing an association or company that would be the investor for the entire construction. The goal is to host the World Hockey Championship in the new hall in 2024.

Representatives of the city and the region discussed the hall with the government's envoy for sports and MP Milan Hnilička (for ANO), a former hockey goalkeeper. "We have a commitment from the state to participate in this project. There is interest in holding the World Championship in the hall in 2024," Vaňková stated.

According to her, it is still unclear how much money the state would provide. "We are talking about an amount in the hundreds of millions of crowns," Vaňková said. Governor Bohumil Šimek (ANO) stated that the South Moravian Region should also contribute hundreds of millions. He describes the construction of the hall as a priority. "The region and Brno are currently living hockey. It is sad that such a hall has long been absent in Brno. It will be a center for children's and youth sports and will provide a background for hosting significant events with international impact," Šimek said.

According to Vaňková, discussions are currently ongoing about what form the entity that will be the investor should take. It is possible that a new association or company will be formed. "Perhaps the participants will only be the city and the region, or other partners like Kometa or the exhibition grounds may join, or another entity may participate," Vaňková added.

The hall for Kometa was originally supposed to be located behind Lužánky, but the city has long been dealing with property and legal disputes there. Two years ago, Kometa won the title in the top hockey league after 51 years and defended it last year. Therefore, politicians started mentioning that the hall could be built at the exhibition grounds. Initially, the previous city leadership led by the ANO movement considered its construction in the place of the current outdated velodrome, which will be relocated to Hněvkovského Street. However, the new coalition led by ODS decided that the hall would be located at the exhibition grounds near Pavilion Z, where the coalition sees better transport connections to public transport and also larger parking space.

The hall costing 1.4 billion crowns is to have a capacity of 12,000 people. It will serve not only sports but also other cultural or social events. Kometa currently plays in the DRFG Arena with a capacity of 7,700 spectators, which is often insufficient.